Chinese Politics

Outside its borders Chinese leaders know their actions are no secret, and are subject to question and criticism. That matters, given the high priority those leaders put on international stature and the respect they crave.

In the long run, it is Beijing's amoral approach to global affairs — not the apocalyptic utopianism of militant Islam, which already shows signs of extinguishing itself — that will be the greatest threat to the Western democratic ideal

Beijing's determination to control the Internet attracts considerable internal mockery. It could be a sign of the growing resistance to traditional communist thought control, but the party may also see some low-level griping as an acceptable means of preventing more serious dissent.

During a territorial dispute with Japan over miniscule, uninhabited islands in the East China Sea, violent mobs trashed or burned Japanese-owned supermarkets, factories and car dealerships, while police stood by.

One small step for social equality was registered in Guangzhou, the bustling southern Chinese city of 17 million, where 44 toilets that had been reserved for city agencies and departments have been unlocked.